Instant messaging systems are becoming an increasingly popular communications vehicle in both the individual and enterprise environments. Instant messaging allows the real-time exchange of messages and presence between two network-connected parties. Although outwardly, similar to e-mail, instant messaging systems deliver messages in near realtime because this instant messaging system is aware of the recipient's presence on the network. Although instant messaging systems and e-mail are typically both based on a client-server model, e-mail is a store and forward system. The sender of an e-mail message uses an e-mail client (also referred to as a Mail User Agent (or MUA) which sends the message to a Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) which further forwards the message through the network to an MTA of the recipient. That is, a “mail server” to which the recipient is connected. The e-mail message is stored on the recipient's MTA. The message is stored until the recipient retrieves its e-mail from the MTA, typically using a Post Office Protocol, or POP, client deployed on the recipient's personal computer or work station.
By contrast, with instant messaging, the sender's instant messaging (IM) client sends the message to an IM server which then sends the message on to the recipient without storing the message. In other words, typical IM systems are not store-and-forward architectures. Furthermore, IM systems typically permit only one active IM session per user name. Therefore, if a user changes work location, say from an office to a laboratory, they must log out of any active IM session and log in from the new location. In the interim, they cannot receive messages.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for mechanisms to permit multiple active IM sessions. In particular, there is a need in the art for systems and methods to permit multiple active IM sessions without circumventing congestion and traffic flow mechanisms built into the IM system.